BIG M’S LOW TAKEOUT BETS DRIVING BIG BUSINESS
Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Last weekend
(Feb. 12-13) was the third straight that saw total handle exceed the $7-million
plateau at The Meadowlands – a lofty level reached three times during all of
2020 – and much of the recent wild wagering at the mile oval is due to the
popularity of the track’s low 15 percent takeout bets.
The Big M has seen great results
since changing the Hi-5/Pentafecta format. Formerly, it was a 20-cent base with
a ‘jackpot’, meaning it paid out only when there was one winning ticket. The
response has been vigorous since management changed it to a 10-cent base that
pays out on all winning tickets.
Through Feb. 12, the updated Hi-5 was
averaging $31,794 per pool, compared to $8,807 over the same period a year ago.
Much like the superfecta more than a decade ago, lowering the minimum to 10
cents has given the bet a new lease on life, as the average payoff during 2021
is $1,535. On Feb. 6, a rare Hi-5 carryover resulted in a total pool of
$79,254, which led to a payout of $10,094.
Another wager that has been
performing at a high level is the 20-cent Pick-5 – the track’s most popular
puzzle in terms of average pool – which is currently seeing $105,977 a night,
almost double what the action was a year ago ($56,331). Thus far in 2021, the
P5 average payout has been $2,989. The bet serves as a catalyst for the first
race, which saw $367,134 of wagering Saturday, and has been averaging over
$300,000 a night thus far this year.
The Big M’s signature wager – the
50-cent Pick-4 – gives bettors two chances to make a score every live racing
night. The Early P4 has averaged $94,294 per pool and the Late P4 has seen
$90,586 a throw. Players of all kinds got to cash in last Saturday. The Early
Pick returned $17,959.80 after 20-1 shots served as winning bookends, while the
Late Pick came back $78.55 after two favorites, one 5-2 and one 3-1 scored
during that extremely formful sequence.
The Pick-5 is not the only wager that
has come up roses with a new twist. The Pick-6 is not a jackpot bet, so the low
20-cent minimum has made the P6 playable even when there is no carryover.
During 2021, the average pool has been $14,581, leading to a payoff of $3,831.
The last of The Big M’s ‘Super Six’
wagers that offer the low 15 per cent takeout is the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7,
which has a mandatory payout every night. It is another bet that generates some
big payouts, as the average return of $3,846 proves.
The lineup of The Meadowlands' 15
percent takeout wagers:
·
Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
·
Race 3: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7
·
Race 6: 50-cent Early Pick-4
·
Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6
·
Race 10: 50-cent Late Pick-4
·
Race 15 (or final
race): 10-cent
Hi-5/Pentafecta
“Wagering last week was over $7
million,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason
Settlemoir. “Which was up $2.36 million from the same two nights last year.
What we are seeing is that low take outs and low minimums help to keep The
Meadowlands horseplayer in action longer.
“If the player can stay in action,
they are capable of making a score on any number of our wagers that are
generating big payoffs. In any successful gambling business, customer
satisfaction is the name of the game. Judging by our 2021 results, where we
have seen handle exceed $3 million on five consecutive programs, we can
reasonably assume that the customer thinks The Meadowlands is providing an
excellent and improved product.”
THE SCHEDULE: Live racing at The Meadowlands takes
place every Friday and Saturday evening. Post time is 6 p.m.
The track’s live “Racing from the
Meadowlands” pre-game show begins at 5:27 p.m.
FREE PPs FOR ALL: Thanks to an agreement between The
Meadowlands and TrackMaster, past performances for every race of every Big M
program are now available at no cost.
To access the free PPs, go to playmeadowlands.com.
GET SOCIAL: You can always check in with the team
at The Meadowlands on Twitter.
For early changes, racing information
and staff selections, go to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.
On race nights, stay in touch with
the Big M’s Dave Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken
Warkentin (@kenvoiceover), Shades Demsky (@shadesonracing) and Jessica Otten
(@JessicaOtten1).
$100,000 GUARANTEED: Every night, The Meadowlands
guarantees big green on both editions of its signature wager, as each 50-cent
Pick-4 sports a $50,000 guaranteed pool.
CHECK OUT THE PICKS: For those who need to get a leg up on
the action, go to playmeadowlands.com
to see track oddsmaker and analyst Brower’s selections and commentary. Click on
the “handicapping” tab and go to “race reviews”.
Brower’s input is generally available
48 hours before every card.
Additionally, track announcer
Warkentin’s blog is available on the site and offers his picks and analysis.
GET YOUR SPORTS ACTION: Pro and college sports betting is
available at The Meadowlands’ FanDuel Sportsbook every day.
Bets can be placed on the NBA, NHL,
college basketball and many other sports any time the wagering windows are
open.
The sportsbook is open Sunday-Friday
from 10 a.m.-midnight and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 a.m. The cash counter is open
from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
